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100 Greatest Soul Music Albums

Criteria: Soul music started in the early 1960s and was around into the 1970s and later, although by the mid-1970s it had pretty much been replaced by funk and disco. Albums that are mainly funk or disco, rather than soul, were not considered for this list. These greatest soul music albums were chosen and ranked based on their initial and lasting popularity, influence, impact, and overall stature in soul music circles.

Last Updated: 2020-01-18
Newly added names are in  Red 
Greatest Soul Albums
  1. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
  2. Live At The Apollo - James Brown
  3. I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You - Aretha Franklin
  4. Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul - Otis Redding
  5. Hot Buttered Soul - Isaac Hayes
  6. The Temptations Sing Smokey - The Temptations
  7. Lady Soul -- Aretha Franklin
  8. The Ice Man Cometh - Jerry Butler
  9. Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary Of Soul - Otis Redding
10. Talking Book - Stevie Wonder
11. Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music - Ray Charles
12. I'm Still in Love With You - Al Green
13. Where Did Our Love Go - Supremes
14. Going To A Go-Go - Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
15. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
16. Night Beat - Sam Cooke
17. Two Steps From The Blues - Bobby "Blue" Bland
18. Back Stabbers - The O'Jays
19. At Last - Etta James
20. You've Got My Mind Messed Up - James Carr
21. Green Onions - Booker T and the MG's
22. Hi! We're The Miracles - The Miracles
23. The 12 Year Old Genius - Little Stevie Wonder
24. Ain't That Good News - Sam Cooke
25. If You Need Me - Solomon Burke
26. The Impressions - The Impressions
27. Rock 'n Soul - Solomon Burke
28. People Get Ready - The Impressions
29. Shotgun - Jr. Walker & the All Stars
30. The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads - Otis Redding
31. The Temptin' Temptations - The Temptations
32. Reach Out - The Four Tops
33. The Exciting Wilson Pickett - Wilson Pickett
34. Call Me - Al Green
35. The Spinners - The Spinners
36. The Wicked Pickett - Wilson Pickett
37. The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
38. Aretha Now - Aretha Franklin
39. Tell Mama - Etta James
40. Spirit In The Dark - Aretha Franklin
41. Let's Stay Together - Al Green
42. The Young Mods' Forgotten Story - The Impressions
43. Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
44. Cloud Nine - The Temptations
45. 3+3 - The Isley Brothers
46. Al Green Gets Next to You - Al Green
47. Just as I Am - Bill Withers
48. The Stylistics - The Stylistics
49. Live - Donny Hathaway
50. Music of My Mind - Stevie Wonder
51. Family Reunion - The O'Jays
52. The Four Tops Second Album - The Four Tops
53. Call on Me / That's the Way Love Is - Bobby Bland
54. Ingredients In A Recipe for Soul - Ray Charles
55. Keep On Pushing - The Impressions
56. In The Midnight Hour - Wilson Pickett
57. Meet The Temptations - The Temptations
58. Here's The Man!!! - Bobby "Blue" Bland
59. The Soul Album - Otis Redding
60. Hold On, I'm Comin' - Sam & Dave
61. The Supremes A' Go-Go - The Supremes
62. Get It While You Can - Howard Tate
63. Wish It Would Rain - Temptations
64. Soul Men - Sam & Dave
65. 'Live' at the Apollo, Volume II - James Brown
66. Young, Gifted and Black - Aretha Franklin
67. Away We A Go-Go - Miracles
68. Total Destruction To Your Mind - Swamp Dogg
69. Still Bill - Bill Withers
70. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself - The Staple Singers
71. Imagination - Gladys Knight and The Pips
72. The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland - The Supremes
73. The Sound Of Wilson Pickett - Wilson Pickett
74. Mercy! - Don Covay
75. Wish Someone Would Care - Irma Thomas
76. With A Lot O' Soul - The Temptations
77. Four Tops - The Four Tops
78. Al Green Explores Your Mind - Al Green
79. We're Gonna Make It - Little Milton
80. I Do Love You - Billy Stewart
81. Cry Baby - Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters
82. The Fabulous Miracles - The Miracles
83. This Is My Country - The Impressions
84. There Is - The Dells
85. Psychedelic Shack - The Temptations
86. Think! - James Brown & The Famous Flames
87. The Soul Of Ike & Tina Turner - Ike & Tina Turner
88. Pain In My Heart - Otis Redding
89. Everything Is Everything - Donny Hathaway
90. ...To Be Continued - Isaac Hayes
91. From a Whisper to a Scream - Esther Phillips
92. Aretha Arrives - Aretha Franklin
93. Last Night! - The Mar-Keys
94. Testifyin' - Clarence Carter
95. Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud - James Brown
96. Soul '69 - Aretha Franklin
97. Straight from the Heart - Ann Peebles
98. Black Moses - Isaac Hayes
99. (For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People - The Chi-Lites
100. Buying A Book - Joe Tex

101. James Brown Sings Raw Soul - James Brown
102. The Amazing James Brown - James Brown and the Famous Flames
103. Pure Dynamite! - James Brown
104. Mighty Love - The Spinners
105. Up-Tight Everything's Alright - Stevie Wonder
106. Gettin' Ready - The Temptations
107. Live In Europe - Otis Redding
108. The Soul Of A Bell - William Bell
109. King & Queen - Otis Redding & Carla Thomas
110. United - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
111. Where I'm Coming From - Stevie Wonder
112. Sky's the Limit - The Temptations
113. Understanding - Bobby Womack
114. A Lonely Man - The Chi-Lites
115. A Nickel and a Nail and Ace of Spades - O.V. Wright
116. I'm Just A Prisoner - Candi Staton
117. The Delfonics - The Delfonics
118. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - The Dramatics
119. I Miss You / Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
120. Can I Change My Mind? - Tyrone Davis
121. Puzzle People - The Temptations
122. Higher And Higher - Jackie Wilson
123. Don't Give Up On me - Solomon Burke
124. The Time Has Come - Chambers Brothers
125. Caught Up - Millie Jackson
126. Brother, Brother, Brother - Isley Brothers

What's Going On album cover

Live At The Apollo James Brown album cover

I Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You album cover

Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul album cover

Hot Buttered Soul album cover

The Temptations Sing Smokey album cover

Lady Soul album cover

The Ice Man Cometh album cover






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